Packing for fragile articles



May 16, 1961 R. L. EMERY PACKING FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES INVENTOR RichardLEmefy ATTORNEYS 2 Sheets-Sheet .1

Filed Aug. 2, 1957 y 1961 R. L. EMERY 2,984,345

PACKING FOR FRAGILE ARTICLES Filed Aug. 2, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2RwhardLEmqy T'roRNEYs United States Patent i PACKING FOR FRAGILEARTICLES Richard L. Emery, Fairfield, Maine, assignor to Keyes FibreCompany, Portland, Maine, a corporation of Mame Filed Aug. 2, 1957, Ser.No. 675,849

3 Claims. (Cl. 206-.-65)

This invention relates to molded pulp packing material for elongatedfragile articles such as fluorescent light tubes or the like, and is acontinuation-in-part of applicants co-pending application Serial No.505,201, filed May 2, 1955, now US. Patent No. 2,838,173.

As fully explained in the aforementioned co-pending application,fluorescent tubes are generally packed in superimposed layers within apacking case. When packed in this manner, provision must be made forcushioning each tube against contact with one another as well as againstdirect contact with the walls of the packing case itself since thefragile nature of the tubes would cause an inordinate amount of breakageif such cushioning were not provided.

The cushioning material generally takes the form of a series of spacedmolded pulp packing sheets situated between each layer of tubes; eachseries comprising a packing sheet at each end of the layer of tubes anda packing sheet in the center. Each of these packing sheets is providedwith a series of pockets, each pocket being constructed to embrace aportion of a tube.

Since fluorescent tubes have a pair of contact pins extending out fromeach end, and since these contact pins must be protected from damage,the end packing sheets are additionally provided with elevated endrecesses in alignment with the pockets; these recesses circumferentiallysurrounding the pins and having their outer edges contacting the sidewalls of the packing case.

The above type of packing sheets, as more specifically described in theaforementioned co-pending application, are, however, subject to certaininherent disadvantages as the result of being made of molded pulp. Thisis due to the fact that molded pulp articles are made by immersing a dieinto an aqueous slurry of paper pulp fibers, then removing the die fromthe slurry, expressing the water to permit the fibers to run togetherand interfelt, and then, generally, compressing and/or heating thearticle to fix it in shape. Since the forming takes place on a dieagainst which the article shrinks as it dries, and since the fibers tendto cling rather tenaciously to the die surface, in order to remove theformed article, it is necessary to make the side wall areas of the dieat least somewhat inwardly inclined so that the formed article can beremoved without tearing the relatively fragile molded pulp material.

In the present type of packing sheet, between each pocket and itsaligned recess there is provided an end wall against which the end ofthe tube abuts. These end walls, since they follow the contour of theforming die, must be somewhat upwardly and outwardly inclined for theaforementioned reasons. Consequently when the tube is inserted in thepocket with its end against the end wall, only the lower peripheralportion of the tube end contacts the end wall while the upper portion isspaced from the upper portion of the end wall and is, therefore,unsupported. Upon exertion of a force longitudinally of the tube, thetube end easily causes failure of the end wall at the small area ofcontact. Continued or repeated exertion of force causes the failure thusstarted to progress 2,984,345 Patented May 16 hi to complete rupture asthe area of contact follows the straight incline.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the abovedisadvantages by providing a packing sheet for fluorescent tubes and thelike of the above type wherein the end walls are adapted to firmlysupport the ends of the tubes.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a packing sheet ofthe above type wherein the end walls are not easily torn or distorted.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. l is a fragmentary view of a packing case, partially cut away,wherein packing sheets embodying the Present invention are shown inoperative position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the packing sheetsarranged in a modified manner.

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the packing sheet illustrated in Figs. 1and 2.

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4--4 of Fig. 3 and showing the tuba indotted outline, a second packing sheet, as in Fig. 1, also being shownin dotted outline.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary, detailed, sectional view of an end portion ofthe packing sheet showing the end of a tube positioned therein.

Referring now in greater detail to the figures of the drawings whereinsimilar reference characters refer to similar parts, there is shown, inFig. 1, a packing case 10 within which are positioned a plurality ofsuperimposed layers of tubes 12. Each layer of tubes is provided withcushioning trays or packing sheets (not shown) at the central portion,in the manner illustrated in the aforementioned co-pending application,and at each end, the layers are positioned between packing sheets 14. Asillustrated in Fig. l, a packing sheet 14 is positioned both above andbelow each layer of tubes to completely encase the ends of the tubes.The upper sheet of each lower layer abuts the lower sheet of each nexthigher layer.

In Fig. 2, the same general arrangement is used as in Fig. 1 except thatonly a single packing sheet 14 is used for each layer. The layers are soarranged that a sheet 14 is positioned below each layer and rests on topof the tubes of the next lower layer.

The specific configuration of the packing sheets 14 themselves are bestillustrated in Figs. 3, 4 and 5. As illustrated, the packing sheet 14comprises a series of elongated pockets 16 separated by hollow,generally V-shaped elongated ribs 18. Both the pockets 16 and the ribs18 terminate, at one end, along the inner edge of a rim 20. This rim 20is slightly elevated relative to the bottoms of the pockets and isintegral with a series of slightly elevated fiat-topped ridges 22, onesuch ridge extending into each pocket. The ridge 22 in each pocket islongitudinally spaced, as at 24, from a similar ridge 26. Spaced fromthe opposite end of each ridge 26 is a short end ridge 28 of similarcross-section to ridges 22 and 26; the ridges 26 and 28 being spacedfrom each other by spaces 30.

The ribs 18 are each provided with notches 32 and 34 laterally alignedwith spaces 24 and 30 respectively. The ribs themselves are parallelwith side walls 36 and 38; each side wall having an outwardly-extendingupper flange as at 40 and 42 respectively. A series of notches, as at 44and 46 respectively, are provided in each flange 4t and 42 in offsetrelationship to the notches in the ribs.

At the end of the sheet opposite the rim 20, there is provided an endwall 48 having an outwardly-extending flange 50 at its upper end. Thisflange 50 is positioned in a plane which is above the height of rim 20but below the height of the ribs 18 and side walls 36 and 38. Similarlyto the ribs 18 and the side walls 36 and 38, the end wall 48 is somewhatupwardly and outwardly inclined. However, those portions of the end wallwhich form the ends of the individual pockets are slightly curved in thehorizontal plane, as best shown at 52 in Figs. 3 and 5. The horizontalcurvature is such as to follow the rounded contour of the end portion ofa tube 54 and to slightly embrace this end portion at either side. Sincethe pockets are so dimensioned as to snugly hold the tube therein underslight resilient pressure, this resilient pressure, in conjunction withthe slight embracing action, results in a secure supporting action forthe tube end.

In order to accommodate the pins 56 of the tubes, an arcuate recess 58is formed in the flange 50 in alignment with each pocket 16. Eacharcuate recess is defined by an upwardly extending pair of ribs 60 whichextend to approximately the same height as the ribs 18. In the center ofeach recess 58 is another rib 62 which is substantially lower than ribs60. The ribs 60 and 62 not only define the pin-holding recesses but actto considerably strengthen and rigidify these recesses againstlongitudinal and later stresses. This is especially necessary in view ofthe curved end wall portions which must firmly support the tube ends.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

l. A package comprising a packing case, a plurality of superimposedlayers of elongated tubular articles in said packing case, each layerbeing cushioned from the other by a plurality of molded pulp packingsheets arranged at either end and in the center, the packing sheetsarranged at either end each having a series of parallel pockets toindividually receive the end portions of the articles in thecorresponding layer, the end of each of said pockets being defined by anend wall which is upwardly and outwardly inclined in the vertical planeand arcuate in cross section in the horizontal plane to at leastpartially embrace the end of the article held in the correspondingpocket and a later flange upon which is provided a recess extendingoutwardly from each said end wall, each said recess being defined .by acorrugated wall area extending above the horizontal plane of the flange.

2. A molded pulp packing sheet having a series of parallel pockets, oneend of each of said pockets being defined by an end wall which isupwardly and outwardly inclined in the vertical plane and arcuate incross section in the horizontal plane and a lateral flange upon which isprovided a recess extending outwardly from each said end wall, each saidrecess being defined by a corrugated wall area extending abovethe"lrorizon'tal plane of the flange.

3. A molded pulp packing sheet comprising a bottom surface, a pluralityof parallel, spaced, elongated ribs extending up from said bottomsurface to form a series of spaced, elongated, parallel pockets, eachpocket having an end wall at one end, said end wall of each pocket beingupwardly and outwardly inclined in the vertical plane and arcuate incross section in the horizontal plane, and a lateral flange upon whichis provided a recess extending outwardly from each end wall, each saidrecess being defined by a corrugated wall area extending above thehorizontal plane of the flange.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 86,062Shepard Ian. 19, 1932 1,626,870 Oxhandler May 3, 1927 2,109,955 CarsonMar. 1, 1938 2,125,793 Linderman Aug. 2, 1938 2,692,077 Kuhlman Oct. 19,1954 2,838,173 Emery June 10, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 722,423 Great BritainI an. 26, 1955

